Asked by: Victoria Borwick (Conservative - Kensington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with (a) NHS England, (b) clinical commissioning groups and (c) local authorities in London on ensuring appropriate services are in place to increase the number of people who use or have used drugs who are tested for and diagnosed with hepatitis C.
Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
We expect NHS England, clinical commissioning groups and local authorities to follow guidance issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on improving uptake of testing for hepatitis C (and B):
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ph43
We also expect treatment for hepatitis C as approved by NICE to be available in line with the guidance issued to operational delivery networks by NHS England. Treatment is prioritised on clinical need and not on the presumed route of infection.
The commissioning and care planning of treatment is supported by a number of documents including:
Public Health Report on Commissioning of HCV services in London for People who Inject Drugs published in 2013 by the London Joint Working Group on Substance Use and Hepatitis C and NHS North West London:
Hepatitis Frequently asked questions, Briefing for councillors jointly published in 2013 by Public Health England (PHE) and the Local Government:
Improving access to, and completion of, hepatitis C treatment published in 2015 by PHE:
Asked by: Victoria Borwick (Conservative - Kensington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with NHS England and operational delivery networks in London on ensuring that the new hepatitis C treatments are available to people who use or have used drugs.
Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
We expect NHS England, clinical commissioning groups and local authorities to follow guidance issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on improving uptake of testing for hepatitis C (and B):
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ph43
We also expect treatment for hepatitis C as approved by NICE to be available in line with the guidance issued to operational delivery networks by NHS England. Treatment is prioritised on clinical need and not on the presumed route of infection.
The commissioning and care planning of treatment is supported by a number of documents including:
Public Health Report on Commissioning of HCV services in London for People who Inject Drugs published in 2013 by the London Joint Working Group on Substance Use and Hepatitis C and NHS North West London:
Hepatitis Frequently asked questions, Briefing for councillors jointly published in 2013 by Public Health England (PHE) and the Local Government:
Improving access to, and completion of, hepatitis C treatment published in 2015 by PHE:
Asked by: Victoria Borwick (Conservative - Kensington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what research the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs plans to undertake or commission on the risk of blood-borne viruses for former sex workers and ex-intravenous drug users.
Answered by Jane Ellison
As a Departmental Expert Committee the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) does not undertake or commission research directly. SaBTO is carrying out a review of selection criteria for donation of blood, tissues and cells. The review will be wide-ranging and comprehensive and will include evidence relating to the risks of blood-borne infections in people who have previously injected drugs or received money or drugs for sex. Should any gaps be identified in the course of the review, SaBTO could make research recommendations.
Asked by: Victoria Borwick (Conservative - Kensington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will discuss with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government steps to encourage local authorities (a) to use their powers under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and (b) in other ways to allocate space for surgeries in new developments.
Answered by Alistair Burt
Departmental officials have regular contact with those at the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). Discussions have included the funding of local infrastructure through the community infrastructure levy and section 106 agreements. We consider that national planning guidance published by DCLG provides local planning authorities with the required information to enable them to assess the future provision of local infrastructure which will include health and social care facilities.
The provision of national health services in England is managed by clinical commissioning groups and NHS England. In order to assess whether new surgeries or other healthcare facilities will be required as a result of new development, local planning authorities should engage with these commissioners.
They should be able to assess whether existing health services will be adversely affected by a new residential scheme and if so, what additional healthcare facilities would be required. This could include the enlargement of existing premises or lead to a requirement for new accommodation. Based on this information, the local planning authority has to make a decision on the appropriate funding arrangements for the required infrastructure resulting from a new development.
We consider the best solution in this matter is for local planning authorities to use their existing powers to consult with the commissioners rather than any intervention by the Department.
Asked by: Victoria Borwick (Conservative - Kensington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to help maintain access to local GPs for people in Central London.
Answered by Alistair Burt
This is a matter for NHS England.
Where a single-handed general practitioner (GP) retires, it is the responsibility of NHS England to ensure the patients of that practice have continued access to National Health Service primary medical services.
When a single-handed GP retires an assessment is made on a case by case basis taking into account a range of factors including the demographic profile of patients, alternative local GP capacity and quality, and, patient and stakeholder engagement. This assessment informs the decision as to whether to procure a new service provider or to facilitate patients to register with alternative local GPs.
In terms of future planning NHS England and London Clinical Commissioning Groups are aware of the ages of GPs which may be an indication of future retirements, however, there is no set age for retirement. Capacity planning is constantly under review and considers both potential retirement as well as other factors such as population growth, premises and range of services to be provided which then informs commissioning strategy.
Asked by: Victoria Borwick (Conservative - Kensington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect on health care provision in Central London of trends in the number of GPs retiring from single-handed practices (a) over the last five years and (b) in the next five years.
Answered by Alistair Burt
This is a matter for NHS England.
Where a single-handed general practitioner (GP) retires, it is the responsibility of NHS England to ensure the patients of that practice have continued access to National Health Service primary medical services.
When a single-handed GP retires an assessment is made on a case by case basis taking into account a range of factors including the demographic profile of patients, alternative local GP capacity and quality, and, patient and stakeholder engagement. This assessment informs the decision as to whether to procure a new service provider or to facilitate patients to register with alternative local GPs.
In terms of future planning NHS England and London Clinical Commissioning Groups are aware of the ages of GPs which may be an indication of future retirements, however, there is no set age for retirement. Capacity planning is constantly under review and considers both potential retirement as well as other factors such as population growth, premises and range of services to be provided which then informs commissioning strategy.